The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered yet another extra-innings loss Tuesday night after miscommunication between Carl Crawford and Hanley Ramirez over a routine fly ball cost them the game in the 10th inning. The Philadelphia Phillies have now beaten the Dodgers two consecutive nights, and the Dodgers look to avoid another loss in the third game of a four-game set.

After Hyun-Jin Ryu allowed just two runs last night over six solid innings, Zack Greinke takes the mound for the Dodgers tonight in search of his fourth win on the season. Unsurprisingly, Greinke has posted impressive numbers in four starts so far. With a 2.42 ERA, the 30-year-old right-hander has allowed only six runs over 22.1 innings pitched. Interestingly enough, five of his six earned runs have been the product of solo home runs.

Greinke has been a huge asset to the rotation especially in Clayton Kershaw’s absence and looks to continue his dominance in tonight’s game. The more unreliable part of the Dodgers’ pitching staff lately has been their bullpen. Tuesday night the struggling relievers showed some promise as, aside from the run tacked onto J.P. Howell’s score sheet, which was the product of a fielding blunder, the four relievers used gave up a combined two hits over four innings.

The big story of the night for the Phillies revolves around the return of Cole Hamels. The 30-year-old left-hander had been diagnosed tendinitis in his bicep dating back to November, and the injury kept him off the roster for the start of the season. The Phillies starter, who posted a 3.60 ERA over 220 innings pitched in 2013, is at last healthy enough to take the mound. Although Hamels has pitched well in his four starts against the Dodgers, he has not been so lucky throughout his first starts of the season. He is 1-4 with a 9.55 ERA in such games over the past five years.

Matt Kemp will be hitting clean up tonight and Yasiel Puig is back in the leadoff spot. As has been the custom, Drew Butera will catch for Greinke, and Justin Turner will take over at second base. Turner is batting .429 against lefties so far this season with two home runs in 14 at-bats. Adrian Gonzalez also receives his first rest of the season tonight, and Scott Van Slyke will assume the role at first base.

About The Author

Nadia Tseng is a UCLA student looking to pursue a career in the film or sports industries. A New York sports fan at heart, she co-hosts an MLB talk show for UCLA Radio and is currently an editorial intern for Screen International.